By GEORGE A. KING III

BOSTON — The Yankees lost Johnny Damon in the first inning tonight when he fouled a ball off his right leg in the first inning.

Damon was diagnosed with a bruise.

Batting with Derek Jeter on second via a leadoff ground-rule double to right, Damon fouled off a 0-1 pitch from Brad Penny and immediately folded into the Fenway Park dirt at home plate.

After gingerly getting up, Damon was called out on a 0-2 pitch by umpire Joe West on a pitch out of the strike zone.

When the Yankees took the field with a 2-0 lead thanks to Jorge Posada’s two-out single to center, Eric Hinske was in left field.